Furniture Care

Upholstery


Keep It Clean

Regularly vacuuming your upholstered furniture is the single best way to keep it looking new. In the case of a liquid spill, blot the spill immediately with white cotton or tissue. Soiled areas should be vacumed and then cleaned with either a solution of warm water and a mild detergent and a 100% cotton cloth; or with a mild solvent. Product tags usually contain cleaning recommendations. Pre-testing is always advised.

Things to Avoid

Excessive sun exposure is guaranteed to destroy furniture. It can cause leather and vinyl to fade, dry out or crack. Dust, which acts as a mild abrasive, greatly increases the rate of wear. Natural oils, acids, and moisture produced by the skin, as well as body lotion and sweat will be absorbed by any cover potentially staining the cover. Body oil and sweat will cause vinyl and leather to harden and crack. This damage cannot be repaired.

Cushions

Seat cushions should be turned over regularly and moved around so they will wear evenly and keep their shape. Sitting on the same seat will cause it to wear differently than the rest. Zippers are used on cushions for better fit, and their presence is not an indication that covers should be removed for cleaning. NEVER put cushion covers in the washing machine. Tighten string buttons by turning clockwise; loosen by turning counterclockwise.

Reclining Furniture


With proper care, your recliner will give you many years of enjoyment. Recliner mechanisms are typically tested for twenty-five thousand cycles of opening and closing.

It's helpful to do the following:

Always sit down gently on the recliner. When sitting upright in the chair, always engage the reclining mechanism using firm and smooth pressure. When returning the recliner to the upright position, lean forward using your calves to retract the footrest while also pushing the handle forward. Make sure that all four legs of your recliner are level and securely touching the floor. Floors tend to be uneven especially near walls. Call Jerome's Service Dept. at the first sign of a problem. The old adage, "A stitch in time saves nine," applies here.

Please avoid the following:

Never allow a child to climb onto your lap or feet while in the reclined position. This may bend the mechanism. Unsupervised children and recliners do not mix. Keep children and their hands away from the interior moving parts. Never lean sideways when you are in the reclined position. The tendency here is to push off the footrest, which could cause damage.
Never stand up without completely closing the mechanism. When moving the chair, never grab, hold or pull by the footrest. Carry the chair from the base.

General Wood Care


Dust wooden surfaces weekly with a damp cotton cloth. Window cleaner may be used on plastic laminates.

Polishing / Waxing


For opened grained woods, use beeswax formulations such as "Howard's™" For finished surfaces with covered wood grains, use a non-silicone, lightweight wax/polish such as those sold in grocery stores. DO NOT OVER-WAX OR OIL. Modern finishes do not require continual polishing.

Dining Tables


With care, a dining table will last for many years. The following are some good guidelines to remember.

Things to Avoid:

With extension tables, it is important to ensure that moisture does not remain in the seams of the table top after use or cleaning. Prolonged moisture exposure may destroy the finish and ruin the core of your table. Do not leave unbreathable plastic coverings on wood dining tables for prolonged periods. Plastic will trap moisture (even moisture from humidity) and damage the wood. Never leave standing water, glasses containing chilled liquids or hot containers on the table. This kind of neglect can cause moisture rings, veneer lifting, finish checking, or crazing. Your table is not guaranteed against moisture damage due to neglect.

Replacing/Removing Table Leaves:

Inserting and removing the leaves of a table requires two people—one at each end. When inserting a leaf, place the leaf over the table runners so that the pins and holes match up correctly. In addition use the wood's grain to properly arrange the leaves. Occasionally, the bottom of the table will have chalk lines and numbers that indicate the correct order. Then from both ends of the table, gently push the table together. If the table is sitting on carpet, lifting up on the table reduces the stress placed on the leg joints, which can be damaged. Pushing can damage the legs.

Table Pad

A custom table pad will protect your table. Please contact your salesperson to order one.

Do-it-Yourself Touch-Up


You can hide scratches and small nicks with a brown magic marker and a finishing putty stick from your local hardware store. Apply and rub with your fingers. Scuffs and minor scratches can be removed by gently, and cautiously rubbing the surface grain wise, using 0000 (extra fine) steel wool and a lubricant like wax.